


Hope

by pleasereadmeok



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 23:32:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5474603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleasereadmeok/pseuds/pleasereadmeok
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before talking with his friend, Henry had been optimistic, but now, Napier’s words had dashed his hopes – surely Mary would never consider a man whose life was so bound up with cars?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> I’m guessing that Henry hasn’t led the life of a monk before meeting Mary. As a racing driver, even in those days, there would have been women ‘groupies’ only too happy to oblige him I’m sure! Anyway – I have set this at the dinner Napier arranged in London.

Henry Talbot surveyed the assembled guests at the table and wondered which of the three women present would relieve the boredom of the lonely night. The women returned his gaze with hungry eyes. He had to admit to himself that he couldn’t remember if he had already slept with any of these women. Sex with willing women was just like scratching an itch for Henry. So which woman tonight? It didn’t really matter.

The only woman that truly interested Henry was out of his reach. He was too poor, not titled, had no ‘position’ and now of course, there was a far larger problem with his suit - his profession. 

When Napier and Henry had met for a drink a few days ago, the subject of Mary was raised – neither could remember who by. Napier told him the story of Matthew’s car crash and Mary’s grief. He hadn’t understood Henry’s attachment to Mary and clearly had never considered the possibility that he would be a potential ‘rival’. Napier obviously felt secure that Mary would never ‘marry down’. 

The information about Matthew played on Henry’s mind for the days that followed. Position, rank, money – all of that would mean nothing if Mary fell in love with him, but her understandable hatred of cars and speed? That was a _real_ obstacle and Henry could not see a way around it. 

Henry’s first thought when Napier told him the news about Matthew was to go to Mary wherever she was in the world and put his arms around her to say, “I’m sorry, I’ll give it up, I’ll do anything to be with you.” But of course he didn’t, she would have been appalled if he had been so forward. 

Before talking with his friend, Henry had been optimistic, but now, Napier’s words had dashed his hopes – surely Mary would never consider a man whose life was so bound up with cars? Yet there were signs that she might be interested in Henry despite his profession. It was she who had telephoned him after he gave her his card and it was she who had suggested dinner. 

Dinner with Mary - that was the real start of Henry’s troubles. They had flirted at first but then the conversation had taken a different turn. He found that he was more and more impressed by his guest and her quest to drag Downton into the future. He had planted a soft peck on her cheek when they parted outside of her Aunt’s house, no more, even though he would have quite happily carried her off to the bedroom to make love to her there and then.

Mary had come to the test track when Henry invited her, even to the pub afterwards, and then there was her reaction to Tom’s quip about spending time together that had made him feel that there was hope after all. There was definitely ‘something’ there, something that was new for Henry, a sick nervous feeling in his stomach every time he saw her and the slight tremble of his hand when they touched. That he was falling in love with Mary was becoming clear to him. But why hadn’t she told him about her husband, why hadn’t she trusted him? She hadn’t chosen to discuss it with him, so did that mean that she didn’t feel it was worth it? Maybe the ‘signs’ were just what Henry wanted to see? 

Henry was so weary from sleepless nights trying to make sense of his feelings about Mary that he wasn’t really in the mood for this dinner - he would much rather have drowned his sorrows at home. He looked at the two empty chairs at the table; at least the latecomers might include a new woman to help him ‘scratch the itch’. He looked up, and there she was, the woman who was the answer to his prayers. The cut of her dress showed off her beautiful porcelain shoulders and the satin and lace skimmed over the curves of her body. Her lips were stained red, ready to be kissed, and her eyes flashed brightly at him. She had planned this, she had wanted to surprise him and this gift gave him hope again. Henry breathed in her perfume when he leant to help her with her dining chair and sighed. Mary.


End file.
